David Moyes Urges Clubs to Respect AFCON as Gueye and Ndiaye Prepare for International Duty

David Moyes has stressed the importance of respecting the Africa Cup of Nations as he prepares to be without Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye during the upcoming tournament. With both players set to join their national teams later this month, the Everton manager acknowledged the challenge their absence creates but insisted that AFCON deserves full recognition.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Chelsea, Moyes made it clear that players should never be discouraged from representing their countries on the international stage.

“We have to respect completely the Africa Cup of Nations,” Moyes said. “The players will go to play in the tournament for their countries, and rightly so. It’s a great honour to be selected, and we hope they do well.”

Moyes admitted that losing important squad members is never ideal for any manager, especially during a busy part of the season, but he remains supportive:

“Obviously, I don’t think it’s something that’s ever pleased any manager that you have to lose your players, but we’ve got them for this weekend, then we’ll wish them well.”

The 24-team competition, set to begin in Morocco on December 21 and conclude on January 18, will affect numerous clubs across Europe